Speaking up

 

When I wake up in the morning I roll over to my left and look up.

That coffee mug is usually what I see.

Here's why.

40+ years ago it became a daily thing for Donald and I to bring one another morning coffee in bed.

Whichever of us happened to get up first would make coffee and bring two cups to bed.

It's how we started our day.  

Things have changed over the years.  Now that we're retired, I am often still reading when Donald falls asleep, so he's usually the first one up.  

Sometimes the first one up by several hours.

He'll fix me a cup of coffee and leave it on my nightstand.

Yes, sometimes it's stone cold by the time I wake up and he's gone on about his business, and that's okay.

It still makes me smile.

And I know I am loved.

And that knowledge has never been more important than it is right now.

When I was younger I was fairly fearless.  Granted, some of that fearlessness came from the naivety of being young and untested.  Witnessing and confronting mortality had not yet happened.

But it's more than that.

For one thing, I have, on occasion, been stopped by police for driving too fast.

It was annoying, frustrating, certainly not fun, but, sadly unlike our friends and family of color, I was never scared to pull over while those lights flashed and the siren whoop-whooped.

Not true today.  I think I would try to keep driving long enough to find a well populated spot before pulling over.  But now we know, even having a crowd of people around is not enough to keep us from being shot and killed.

I could write volumes about this, but I just don't have it in me right now. 

This morning while having my quiet cup of coffee, I did what I often do.

I wrote to my members of congress.  Tillis, Budd, and Foxx.

Today I was on a tear and included many many many things I'm upset, angry, and scared about.

ICE, Greenland, Venezuela, Health Care.  Our missing congress.

Being a Third World Country. 

I may not be as fearless as I once was, but I am, by damned, determined not to be cowed by our own elected officials.  

They're supposed to follow the will of the people.  NOT the will of an insane tin pot bully of a dictator.

As long as I breathe I will remind them of this.

I hope you will too.

From Our House to Yours!

 

Peace, Love and Joy

Christmas Bells 

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet
    The words repeat 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
    Had rolled along
    The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
    A voice, a chime,
    A chant sublime 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
    And with the sound 
    The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
    And made forlorn
    The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
    “For hate is strong,
    And mocks the song 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

An October Sunday in Meat Camp

I love October.

• "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." 
• — Lucy Maud Montgomery, Ann of Green Gables

It's a perfect day here in these mountains.

I'm enjoying coffee on the deck

Donald couldn't resist getting on his bike to take a ride.

Annabelle thinks it's a great day for being outdoors sniffing new smells.

Life is good.

And there's a bowl of apples calling my name.

Apple Cake Time!

From my favorite recipe.

You can tell I've made this a few times, huh?  😁

Apple Pound Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of cooking oil
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup coconut (I do not use the coconut)
3 cups tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I do not peel the apples)
1 cup pecans, chopped (I usually do not use the pecans)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the sugar and oil. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the sugar mixture and blend well. Beat in the vanilla and coconut. Fold in the apples and nuts. Pour into a greased 9-inch tube pan (I usually use a Bundt pan). Bake for 80 minutes, or until the cake tests done (may not take 80 minutes). Turn onto a wire rack to cool. (this recipe does not call for leaving the cake in the pan to cool before turning it out, but I do that.  For about 15 minutes.)

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

Life is Good

I'm not a relentlessly nauseatingly cheerful Pollyanna kinda person, but I am a positive thinking person (for the most part - leaving today's political climate of hate aside).  

Negative people, for whatever their reasons, wear me out and I choose to not surround myself with an over abundance of negativity.  That's not to say I don't have compassion, and people who don't understand where I'm coming from with all this still won't understand if I try to explain it, so I'm not going to bother.

Yesterday was a good day.  

I met one of my former bosses, who is a dear friend, for coffee.  For a couple of hours we chatted, and we laughed.   (Thank you, Ozzie)

By spending most days quite contentedly in Meat Camp and being as reclusive as I tend to be, I forget just how delightful and refreshing coffee and laughter with a good friend can be.

Top that with a manicure, a pedicure, a milkshake, picking up a new book at the Post Office (Thank you, MG), coming home to a sweet, cute husband who makes me laugh and who loves me, along with a fluffy little dog who smiles when she sees me, and I am reminded - life is good.

I'm thankful that I know that.

Clara Brooks' poem is, on the surface, quite simplistic, but the lyricism as well as its message speaks to me.

 Life's Mystery

Poet: Clara M. Brooks

"Laugh, and the world laughs with you";
Weep, and the world weeps, too:
'Tis all as you take it, brother;
You pave your own pathway through —

Pave it with woes and sorrows,
With sighs and drops of grief,
Or with onyx stones of gladness
And ruby smiles of relief;

Pave it with sunshine-golden
Or densest hues of night,
With storm-clouds dark of anguish
Or silver stars of light.

Pause not to mourn o'er the failures
You made on yesterday;
The while you are sadly weeping,
The present you trifle away.

The smoothest and brightest diamond
Was once but the roughest stone,
And the rose of rarest splendor
From the meanest sod has grown.

Thus the deepest and richest blessing
Comes oft from the bitterest woe,
And a life of heavenly beauty
From the lowliest place may grow.

The darkest hour of the night-time
Betokens the coming dawn,
And the brightest and warmest sunshine
Comes after the rain is gone.

Would you but gather roses,
And shun the pricking thorn?
Have all thy dawnings cheerful
With never a cloudy morn?

Ah! life is whate'er you make it:
Bid sadness and grief depart,
And the world shall be filled with music,
Begun in thy trusting heart;

Rejoice, and the world around you
The cheeriest smile will wear;
Bow 'neath thy heavy burdens,
And the world is filled with care.

Then forth to thy duty, brother,
Nor falter for wind or tide.
What matter how dark the storm-clouds?
There's always a brighter side.

"Laugh, and the world laughs with you";
Weep, and the world weeps, too:
'Tis all as you take it, brother;
You pave your own pathway through.

Under the Category "Things That Make Me Happy"

Some of you might know that I have a fairly sizable personal library of books about Paris.

I'm constantly looking for new additions, so I have a list of "Paris Book Filters" I plug in at Amazon in the "Books Category" from time to time to see if there's anything new that I have to have.

Then I'll search for a used copy.

If I find it at a reasonable price, I'll probably grab one, and sometimes another one for a friend.

Here's what popped up today when I did a search in Amazon Books for "Unusual Things to do in Paris."

Life is good.

Another birthday rolls around!

 

It's Don Barley's birthday.

In times past we would be going out to dinner to celebrate the occasion of his birth.

But.

Because COVID has proven itself to be stubborn enough, and still dangerous enough, to be of concern, we'll be celebrating in the comfort of home.

The celebrating of this most auspicious occasion started a day a head of time with cake.

Making a wish!

This evening it's filet mignon, asparagus, and the potatoes and onions that are happily cooking in the crockpot (recipe below).

And cake.

And ice cream.

Thanks to all of you who have sent good wishes!

(COVID update for Watauga County, North Carolina

 - 

Watauga Medical Center has seen one COVID-19 patient die each day for the last four days as of Feb. 10.

Of the 107 deaths at WMC from COVID-19,  99 of them have been those who were not vaccinated. 

Even with this, I know some of you think we're ridiculously paranoid.  

So be it. 

We have suffered losses - some closer than others.  

One quite close.  

The most recent, just this week - the daughter of an acquaintance, a 39 year old mother of two.  She died in the hospital while awaiting a liver transplant.  Liver damage caused by COVID over Christmas.  Yes, she was vaccinated.  

So, please, allow us to do things our way without your rolling of eyes and lack of respectful understanding.)

And, please, wear a mask.  

If not for yourself, for others.

Crock Pot Potatoes and Onions

Delicious and savory, baby new potatoes or red potatoes make a delicious side dish that that is not only easy, but one pot. Slow cooked potatoes are soft, tender and FILLED with flavor because of the tender sliced caramelized onions. The brown butter and simple seasonings lets the potato shine and because this dish is made in the crockpot, it's also super holiday friendly as a ready-when-you-are side dish. 

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time3 hrs

Total Time3 hrs 10 mins

Course: Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crockpot potatoes and onions

 

Servings: 8

 

Calories: 266kcal

 

Author: Trisha Haas - Salty Side Dish

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 lbs. tiny potatoes cut in half
• 2 large Vidalia onions sliced thin
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

• Add potatoes and onions to a slow cooker and mix well.
• In a separate small bowl, combine butter, broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Pour brown butter mixture over potatoes and onions and mix well to evenly coat.
• Cover and heat on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.
• Drain or serve with a slotted spoon (if desired).

Notes

Expert Tips

• Add grated or crumbled cheese to the top before serving.  Parmesan, cheddar, blue cheese all taste amazing with baby potatoes and onions!
• Because slow cookers all cook at slightly different times, check the potatoes every so often during the cooking process. They are ready when the potatoes is fork tender.
• Try adding a packet of onion soup mix, ranch seasoning, or add some extra herbs like chopped fresh parsley, basil, or rosemary.

What are Vidalia onions, and can other types of onions be used in this recipe?

Vidalia onions are a type of onion grown only in a specific region of Georgia.  They are sweet and the oils are less potent so they won’t make you tear up like other varieties of onion.  If you can’t source Vidalia onions for this recipe, use any sweet onion such as Walla Walla, Maui, or Texas Sweets.

.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 340mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g

Crock Pot Potatoes and Onions https://www.saltysidedish.com/potatoes-and-onions/ All text & images © Copyright The Salty Side Dish