Stargazer Oriental Lily (from my 35th Anniversary bouquet) 4/3/17
Star Gazer
A philosopher once asked, ‘Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?’
Pointless, really…
‘Do the stars gaze back?’
Now, that’s a question.
-Neil Gaiman
Something to think about – eh?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Paws and Cherish the Moments: A Charlie Guest Post.
Hi Friends –
As you may know, I have recently become an uncle – Uncle Charlie.
And I must tell you – I have fallen in love with my new little niece.
At first, I wasn’t sure about her. It wasn’t that I didn’t like her… I just didn’t know what she was…. I looked at her, I sniffed her, I licked her…… but not much happened. Mainly my mom just held her (and sort of ignored me…).
But a few months have passed, and now she is getting to be a bit more fun. She plays with squeaky and squishy toys on the floor. She rolls around and makes funny noises. She allows me to give her kisses. And she loves to watch me, so I try to show her how to play by demonstrating with my toys.
And sometimes, I just like to lay down with her and relax. It is good to “paws” and cherish these sweet moments.
When you aren’t sure what to make of something – a new person – a new situation – a new smell or sound – just paws…..
You might just find there are moments to cherish in that paws.
Woofs & Wags,
Charlie
Charlie is an adopted dog with brown eyes and a white-tipped tail who brings joy and laughter to his family and friends. Charlie is a gifted writer, raving food critic, cat, chipmunk, and donut lover, and exceptionally photogenic model. Some of his best friends are Mike the UPS Man, Cliff the Mailman, Jaeger the neighbor dog, and ANYONE who delivers pizza to the house. If you would like to read more guest posts by Charlie, simply type “Charlie” into the Search box at the top right hand corner of this link: thecreativelifeinbetween.com. If you would enjoy a companion like Charlie, please consider pet adoption.
PS: If you would like to read a really sweet book written by a man AND his adopted dog, please check out “Who Said I Was Up for Adoption? A story about one calculating dog and one unsuspecting human,” by Colin Chappell. When Colin contemplated the idea of adopting a dog, he did so warily, for he had seldom spent time with dogs and one of his primary canine experiences came when he was bitten by a German Shepherd at age fourteen. He certainly was unprepared for the complexities of caring for the seventy-five pounds of rescued, furry attitude he encountered in Ray. But perhaps what he was even more unprepared for were the emotions he would feel once Ray invited him to be his friend. Who Said I Was Up For Adoption? tells the evolving story of this adoption (though it remains unclear just who did the adopting). Funny, heartwarming, and emotional, Colin and Ray’s story is really two stories, for part of learning to let an adopted dog into one’s life is learning to see from a perspective other than your own. True to that knowledge the book is narrated from parallel, alternating viewpoints-Colin’s and … Ray’s! All net profits from sales of Who Said I Was Up For Adoption? will be donated to the Oakville and Milton Humane Society, a remarkable organization that rescues and rehabilitates dogs (and many other creatures) and matches them with suitable, loving humans.
Colin also blogs about his life with Ray at A Dog’s Life: Stories of Me and Him.
Un-Stuffed Pepper Casserole. It’s what’s for dinner…
I love stuffed peppers, but for some reason, I don’t make them very often. Not sure why. But on a recent visit to our local John’s Bar, the dinner special was stuffed pepper casserole. I nabbed the last one – much to some of our friends at the bar’s dismay.
I really enjoyed it and thought it must be simple to make. And it occurred to me that we usually end up chopping up our stuffed peppers on our plate to eat, so why not deconstruct them in a casserole?!
I did a bit of googling, and I took some ideas from some recipes I found, combined them with my stuffed pepper recipe and thoughts of what I would like, and I came up with this yummy quick and easy skillet supper.
It was windy and rainy off and on yesterday, so it was a perfect evening for a comfort-type dish. I served ours over mashed potatoes (mainly because that’s how we like to eat our stuffed peppers too), but it is totally not necessary. You can sprinkle some shredded cheese on top – or not – again – up to you. You can tweak it up even healthier if you like by using ground turkey instead of ground beef and brown rice or even quinoa or your favorite grain instead of the rice.
If you’ve been hanging around here for any amount of time, you know I’m the queen of improvising on recipes. I rarely measure, and I love experimenting. If it calls for “this,” why not try “that.” And cooking is really not brain surgery or rocket science, so if you add a smidge instead of a dash – who cares! The palm of my hand is my measuring spoon. Sometimes it works good – sometimes it’s just so-so, but as long as I am having fun creating – whether it’s food or photography or art – it’s all good.
Yep – that’s what it’s about here – being creative “in between” the times when we have to do the routine.
Hope you’ll give this yummy dish a try. Do it my way – or do it your way. Just have fun creating it!.
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a large skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Add chopped onions and peppers and salt to taste. Once limp and onions are translucent after a few minutes, add ground beef and brown until no longer pink. Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in cooked rice, soup, water, and diced tomatoes. Cook for additional 10-15 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese (if desired) and garnish with chopped green onions.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Niagara Falls – Horseshoe and American Falls – from Canadian Side – April 1, 2017
Niagara Falls: A Great Weekend Getaway.
When Hubby and I decided to “getaway” for a weekend…
Hubby suggested Niagara Falls to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary.
Niagara Falls is truly a natural wonder to experience! We are fortunate it is only a 3 1/2 hour drive from our little town of Mars.
Horseshoe Falls – Niagara Falls – April 1, 2017
Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that straddle the international border between Canada and the United States; more specifically, between the province of Ontario and the state of New York. They form the southern end of the Niagara Gorge.
Located on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, the combined falls form the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world that has a vertical drop of more than 165 feet (50 m). Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America, as measured by vertical height and flow rate.
Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m3) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow, and almost four million cubic feet (110,000 m3) on average.
The Niagara Falls are famed both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power.*
Horseshoe Falls – Niagara Falls – April 1, 2017
We had fun visiting both the U.S. and Canadian side of the falls (a passport is necessary to travel between the two).
It was a bit chilly in early April, but so worth it to avoid crowds! We visited early morning when the mist was heavy on the “American Side.” We walked the path along the “Canadian Side” during the afternoon when the sun broke through the clouds.
A highlight to experience (which we did) is riding the Aero Car, suspended by cables, over the Niagara Whirlpool. The Whirlpool is formed at the end of the rapids where the gorge turns abruptly counterclockwise and the river escapes through the narrowest channel in the gorge.
Aero Cable Car over Niagara Whirlpool – Niagara Falls – April 1, 2017
A visit to Niagara on the Lake is another highlight, with quaint shoppes and wonderful wineries that host pairings and tastings.
It was wonderful to head back to the U.S. side and experience the Falls at sunset before heading for dinner.
Niagara Falls at Sunset – from American Side – April 1, 2017
And after dinner, another visit to see the falls lit up at night.
Niagara Falls after Dark – from American Side – April 1, 2017
Niagara Falls is a great weekend getaway, with something for everyone – including casinos and wax museums and boat rides and cave tours. This is not our first visit, so we’ve experienced some of the others previously.
There is something so beautiful and special and even a bit romantic about Niagara Falls.
Thanks to our guys for “kicking us out” so we could have such a great getaway weekend!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
35.
Row 35.
on Year 35.
35 Years.
420 Months.
1,820 Weeks.
12,775 Days.
10,731,000 Hours.
643,860,000 Minutes.
38,631,600,000 Seconds.
And after all these years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds…..
I wouldn’t trade a moment….
(Well – maybe a few – hundred…. but then again… if I did… we wouldn’t be where we are today…. and it’s not such a bad place to be.)
Happy Anniversary to Hubby and me!
This past weekend, we went on a little getaway trip to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary (and get out of dodge to allow a bachelor party to happen at our home). One of the fun things we did was visit some wineries and do some pairings and tastings. When I saw this sign in the vineyard, I couldn’t resist. It felt like a good omen.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Spring Surprises Popping Up.
Is anything more beautiful
that the bright pops of purple and yellow
that come in the Spring to brighten the brown and gray
and highlight the fresh new green?
Especially in unexpected places
on unexpected adventures
with people you love
on Sunday “rides.”
Spring is popping up.
Smell the air.
Listen to the sounds.
Look for the beauty!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin.
It’s what’s for dinner!
If you are a pork fan, like I am fast becoming, this marinated tenderloin is a MUST try!
It turns out tender and juicy with a fresh citrusy herb flavor that pairs great with potatoes and fresh vegetables for a delicious, easy weeknight dinner.
Prepare and marinade the meat the night before, then all you have to do is throw it on the grill for 10-15 minutes for dinner.
Leftovers are great sliced thinly for sandwiches or tossed in a stir-fry. Such a bonus to get a couple completely different meals from one easy recipe.
Hope you will give it a try, and hope you enjoy as much as we did.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Make marinade by whisking together first 8 ingredients. Pour into large Ziploc bag. Add the pork tenderloins and coat. Marinade overnight in refrigerator or at least 8 hours.
Preheat grill to 400 degrees F. Place tenderloins on grill. Discard excess marinade. Grill 10-15 minutes or until meat reaches 135 degrees F. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Cut into thin slices to serve.
Enjoy with roasted new potatoes and steamed broccoli or your favorite vegetable.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
*Recipe slightly adapted from Ina Garten’s Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Lesson from a Cardinal.
You stand out so bright and beautiful and bold.
Do you realize the joy you bring to the cold?
You teach us life lessons without even trying.
May we be bright lights without even trying.
Help us to see
how easy it can be.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day.
Open your eyes
and look around.
I bet you will see
sunshine can be found.
…even on the cloudiest of days…
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I had the joy and privilege of hosting a Brunch & Bubbly Bridal Shower for my bright and bubbly daughter-in-law to be this past weekend.
I had fun decorating and preparing for our girly party!
Thanks to Matron of Honor and beautiful sister, Laura, and loving, gentle mom, Pat for co-hosting with me.
(And a super special thanks to my BFF Jill for taking all of these photos as well as helping with anything else needed while I was busy hosting.)
Liz was surrounded by the love of her Mom and three sisters…
and there is another beautiful girl on the way to add to this gang!
First things first – the Bubbly!
and a toast to the bride-to-be.
Friends and family attended.
Families mingled meeting and getting to know each other…
and several generations shared in the joy and love.
New moms and great grandmoms…
and moms with babies on the way,
and moms who get to share ❤ .
Then there was brunch.
Where we served a buffet of Chicken Salad on Sliced Crostini, Crispy Veggies with Hummus, Fresh Fruit and Honey Walnut Brie, along with…
Mini BLTs served on Heart-shaped biscuits,
Loaded Deviled Eggs,
and a Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese and Candied Pecans.
Aunt Kathy made the MOST amazing cupcakes I’ve every tasted! Strawberry Lemon with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting,
My friend, Pam who makes the most amazingly beautiful sugar cookiedoodles, made these gorgeous and delicious treats that we served along with my cookie pops.
The guests brought and shared amazing gifts for our newlyweds to be.
We played a few games. Pretty simple ones really… Like guess the number of corks and gave away prizes when a timer went off during gift opening.
Some sweet and funny stories were shared when guests filled out a “Mad Lib” story…
and then chose to share with the group.
And then the groom-to-be (my son, Nick) arrived with flowers, smiles, and a tight hug.
Favors of Homemade Lavender Sugar Scrub were given to guests as a thank you before leaving.
A kiss and an “I love you” at the end of the day, but the beginning of a lifetime. (with a little bit of sweet granddaughter drool on my shoulder)
It was a great day to celebrate a great young lady!
Love you Liz!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Thanks Jill!
Party Supplies:
Toasting Flutes for Mimosa Bar
Juice Carafes for Mimosa Bar
Tissue Paper Tassel Garland
Tissue Paper Pom Poms
Tissue Paper Honeycomb Balls
the creative life in between 