Peace Doves

My beautiful pigeons.

They look like peace doves.

Peace. . .

In the words of the great Jeff Smith today, 

"I bid you peace."

Help

"You are worthy of being helped."

I heard that on television this morning, and it stopped me in my tracks.

This is an issue for me.

Whenever I need help with something, I feel ashamed.

Or dishonest, as if I really could manage without the help and, therefore, I am . . . not worthy of the help.

I often get defensive or even combative when someone tries to help me with something.  

This has caused issues in my marriage from time to time, for marriage is a lifetime of teamwork, of giving and of receiving.  Receiving with an open and free heart is very difficult for me.

I have begun to realize I feel unworthy.

Of course, various circumstances in my life have brought me to places where I have been forced to ask for help.

I do and can ask for help. . . I am certainly not saying that I do everything myself, without help from anyone.

But all the while I am receiving that help, I secretly and silently browbeat myself for it.

This adds conflict to my heart, my life.  It disquiets my soul.

My husband is a generous and gracious care-taker, helper.  It disturbs him that accepting help is so difficult for me.



I could spend many hours and probably many dollars analyzing how this came to be in me.

But I think my time would be better spent repeating that beautifully illuminating sentence above,

"You are worthy of being helped,"

and working to synthesize it into my heart and into my soul.

I am worthy of being helped.

 


And so I bring this to you, dear reader . . . do you feel worthy of being helped? 

Really?    

Extra Love Today

Sometimes people bemoan Valentine's Day 

as a "Hallmark Holiday" ~

Or they say they don't need a special day set aside for expressing love, 

that it should be done every day.

Yes, it should be done every day.

But I think it is lovely to think of Valentine's Day as icing on the cake, 

a little insurance, a day to do that little extra thing, 

add that extra sweetness ~

What a good reminder it is ~

And, to me, any reminder to do the out-of-ordinary is welcomed ~

So, then, to you, Dear Readers, I say:

Happy Valentine's Day.

Wishing you all much love, today,
and

All year long.

Inspiration and Aspiration

Ever been to Amsterdam?

It's one of my favorite cities.

Bicycles are everywhere, and it is fun to see how people personalize their bicycles to fit their personal styles and functions.

If I ever move to Amsterdam, or achieve likewise coolness, I will buy myself one of these . . . and then choose a bicycle to suit it.

What is it?

It is a "Crocheted Bicycle Dress Guard," of course -- keeps your skirt or coat tails out of the spokes as you're riding.

 

Or perhaps I prefer this style . . . can't decide.

Made by Darkandstormydays on Etsy, they are a vision of beauty and functionality, and I had to show them to you.

Someday, I aspire to be riding a bicycle in a long, flowing skirt without a care in the world.

I just decided that. 

Chicken Coax

Go out and play in the snow . . . don't be a chicken!

Chickened Out . . . And In

Wow, thanks for all the interest and support on yesterday's post.  I had no idea this little dilemma was so relatable!  I was thinking that maybe I was needing a slap across the kisser to snap me out of it.  Well, once again, thanks for "gettin' me."

What did I make??

Excuses.

I am a lucky girl that I have such an understanding husband.  He just laughed and shook his head and told me how funny I was.  Yah, I'm a laugh a minute.

Then my sweet boy presented his thing-of-beauty report card and we celebrated by taking him out for dinner.  He picked the place, Noodles & Co.

Now, today I put on my big-girl panties and committed to a meal.  Here's what cooking . . .

My Roast Chicken

1 7.5 lb roaster chicken
4 large onions
8 potatoes
4 slices bacon, cut in half
4 TB butter, cut into pieces
fresh thyme
fresh rosemary
salt & pepper
1 8oz carton baby bella mushrooms, quartered

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash and half or quarter potatoes and onions, put in bottom of 9 x 13 pan.  Rinse chicken and place on top of potatoes.  Place one more cut up onion inside cavity along with one half slice bacon and one piece butter. 

Run hands between skin and meat.  Salt and pepper in there and push in several sprigs of the fresh herbs.  Arrange bacon on top of breast skin.  Sprinkle bits of butter over the chicken and vegetables in pan.

Place chicken in oven, uncovered, for 30 mins for every lb. of chicken. *When there is 15 minutes of cook time left, sprinkle in mushrooms and return to oven for final 15 minutes. 

Allow chicken to rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.

And:

Spicy Cranberry Chutney**

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup water
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, raisins and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and stir while simmering for 5 minutes. Stir in cranberries, apple and lemon zest; simmer for 10 minutes more.

Stir lemon juice, ginger and pepper flakes into the mixture before removing from heat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

***

I was going to bake something for dessert, but the oven seems to be giving off a lot of "newness" smell (yes, I washed it out first), so I covered my chicken and have decided to forgo the baking for a while longer until it is broken in.

It's beginning to smell yummy!